Padwa : The day following the Amavasya is "Kartik
Shuddh Padwa" and it is only on this day that the King Bali would
come out of Pathal Loka and rule Bhulok as per the boon given by
Lord Vishnu. Hence, it is also known as "Bali Padyami". This day
also marks the coronation of King Vikramaditya and Vikaram-Samvat
was started from this Padwa day.

Gudi Padwa is symbolic of love and devotion between the wife and
husband. On this day newly-married daughters with their husbands
are invited for special meals and given presents. In olden days
brothers went to fetch their sisters from their in-laws home for
this important day.

Govardhan-Puja : Govardhan-Puja is also performed
in the North on this day. Govardhan is a small hillock in Braj,
near Mathura and on this day of Diwali people of Punjab, Haryana,
Uttar Pradesh and Bihar build cowdung, hillocks, decorate them with
flowers and then worship them. This festival is in commemoration of
the lifting of Mount Govardhan by Krishna. As per Vishnu-Puran the
people of Gokul used to celebrate a festival in honor of Lord Indra
and worshiped him after the end of every monsoon season but one
particular year the young Krishna stopped them from offering
prayers to Lord Indra who in terrific anger sent a deluge to
submerge Gokul.

People were afraid that the downpour was a result of their neglect
of Indra. But Krishna assured them that no harm would befall them.
He lifted Mount Govardhan with his little finger and sheltered men
and beasts from the rain. This gave him the epithet Govardhandhari.
After this, Indra accepted the supremacy of Krishna.

This day is also observed as Annakoot meaning mountain of food.
Pious people keep awake the whole night and cook fifty-six or 108
different types of food for the bhog (the offering of food) to
Krishna. In temples specially in Mathura and Nathadwara, the
deities are given milkbath, dressed in shining attires with
ornaments of dazzling diamonds, pearls, rubies and other precious
stones. After the prayers and traditional worship innumerable
varieties of delicious sweets are ceremoniously raised in the form
of a mountain before the deities as "Bhog" and then the devotees
approach the Mountain of Food and take Prasad from it.